than Fao.
“You grow by leaps and bounds!” the girl was surprised, “And it turns out that you are also a sluggard! I’ve been awake for a long time now! I missed you, Nucko.” Then Fao embraced Nucko’s fluffy neck and began to gently tousle the scruff of his neck. Pleased, the bear cub growled happily.
Fao loved bears. Especially while they remained small. “They are so cute and funny!” she thought. The mature bear had no time for games, but almost half of the adults of the Bear Woodlot recognized Fao and paid her attention by licking her hands or carrying her on their backs.
Despite her love for all the bears, Fao did not want to become one after the initiation, when the features of the beast transfer to the person. Fao wanted to remain slender and mobile, not big and fat like the bears. She might be a deer… but deer are very shy. A squirrel? Squirrels are terrible! Quick, but stupid. What if I become stupid too? Sabers are fast, graceful, beautiful, and smart. But they smell disgusting, and a girl must smell good! Already on the third circle, Fao sighed at the uncertainty of who she will become. But she was certain of one thing – no matter which bestial appearance she took on, she will still be friends with the bears!
“This is for you! I deliberately put some aside, and ate less myself,” Fao said, holding out a palm with a handful of strawberries to Nucko. The joyful bear cub swallowed all the berries at once, and then licked Fao’s hand for a long time, which still exuded the sweet smell of berries.
After this, it was time for the game. Fao tried to saddle Nucko but he wasn’t having it, and constantly dropped her away. Once, he even pawed so that Fao fell and saw red circles before her eyes. When the bear cub realized that he miscalculated his own strength, he ran up and repeatedly licked her cheeks as an apology. Fao was very ticklish, and she laughed.
Suddenly the bushes moved, and Fao jumped to her feet.
Who is there? Clearly a human!
But then Fao saw her friend, Inaonomose (Ina), before her.
“I knew I’d find you here,” she said.
Ina simply shone with happiness, her eyes burning with sparkling lights. It immediately became clear that something important had happened.
“What? What’s happened?” Fao wanted to get in on this secret as soon as possible.
“You will never believe it! The Taurs! The Taurs are back!”
This was the news of all news! The Taurs had not come to Swa-Ioledea for more than three years! Neighbors to the Vedichs, the Taurs conquered the will of the animal and forced them to transport themselves, their cargoes, and cut down the forest. The Vedichs considered the Taurs to be savages who didn’t respect Nature and animals. The Vedichs rarely visit the Taurs, and vice-versa, but when caravans of embassies come to visit each other, both people obeyed local laws.
When I asked the elders why the Taurs had not come for so long, I received silence at best; at worst – a box on the ear. But there was really nothing to guess. It is as clear as a bright day, that the konung of the Taurs had another conflict with the elders of the Vedichs.
But what made the Taurs come back?
“Where are they?” asked Fao.
“Their chief went with the elders to the Quiet Creek.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve peeked in,” Ina replied, embarrassed.
“So, you are suggesting…” Fao did not finish the question and smiled.
Ina winked, and the girls completely understood each other.
They looked somewhat similar: both had sharp noses, running black eyes, and bulging cheeks. Only Fao’s hair was lighter and she had a constant blush on her face. But the most important thing that united the friends was curiosity. A craving for the new, a craving for discoveries.
Eavesdropping on other people’s conversations was bad! The girls knew that! However, how could they miss the return of the Taurs? How could they not discover the secret of this return?
“I’m sorry, Nucko!” Fao patted the bear cub by the ear. “This is very important!” He hung his head, clearly offended. They had not had time to play enough.
“Squirrels?” Ina asked continuing to smile.
“Squirrels!” Fao gave up.
Oh, how she hated those nasty little animals! For their harmfulness and stupidity. But squirrels were quick and fast and when needed, they were also noiseless.
Within moments two small forest rodents were already galloping at full speed on the ground and over the branches of trees to the Quiet Creek.
3
Fao and Ina stuck out squirrel muzzles from the leaves of the huge ash tree and turned their gaze to the clearing, where the three elders of the Vedichs – Anolim, Swarod and Liol-Nomo —were talking to a huge blonde-haired Taur.
The chief elder of Swa-Ioledea and all the lands of the Vedichs was the Liswa-Fa. He had already lived a full life cycle six times six years times six. The second full circle has already started, where the elder lived four circles six times for six years and began the second year of the fifth circle.
Liswa-Fa was a fox. From a side view, the beast form looked feeble with gray fur instead of red – but the Liswa-Fa was wise. Though it was hard for him, common sense and good memory never left the old man. At least, so the elders told Fao. The three elders who were in the clearing helped Liswa-Fa, listening to his instructions, and then expounding them to the other Vedichs. Now they had to talk with a stranger.
Fao had already recognized the massive Taur as Dockolmo-Leyam (Docko), the former ambassador of the konung of the Taurs in Swa-Ioledea. By forest standards, he was still quite young, having passed only three full small circles for six years when he first appeared in Swa-Ioledea. But his appearance struck many locals, as Docko was broad in chest and shoulders and by far the tallest Vedich. When Doсko first arrived, his chin was still bare, but he now wore his yellow hair in small braided pigtails that fell alongside his thick, light beard. Docko never parted with his skillfully carved spear, which the Taurs recognized as a sign of power by the red ribbons that adorned it. Docko had achieved a lot in his homeland during his absence in Swa-Ioledea.
Fao simply could not help but admire the young mighty Taur, and began to listen attentively to the conversation while sitting just above the elders’ heads.
“We are flattered, young Dockolmo-Leyam, that you returned to our city,” Swarod said leisurely. “You know that you are always a welcome guest here and a friend of the Vedichs. Whatever opinion the venerable Nojedea-Oumo-Weylea-Kaul, the konung of the Taurs, adhered to, this will not affect our friendship with you. Not as a friendship with a foreigner, but with a man.”
“Thank you, respectable Elder Swarod,” said Docko politely.
“But in order not to torment you for a long time, we will immediately answer with an honest refusal!” Liol-Nomo finished.
“But I asked you for permission to speak with the Supreme Elder of the Liswa-Fa!” Docko did not let up.
Unshakeable, Anolim replied, “Alas, this is impossible! And if you really want to show him your respect, then I will ask you not to disturb his gray hair. The elder of the Liswa-Fa is too weak. We will tell him about the meeting with you. But do you truly think that he can actually tell you something other than what we have told you?”
“I only ask that you send a single caravan to the Valley!” Docko almost begged. “Just one!”
A caravan to the Valley! A caravan to the Valley! A caravan to the Valley!
The squirrel’s heart of Fao began to pound wildly, and only those words pounded in her head.
For what? Why should Docko ask the Vedichs